Can we say that slavery has already been abolished? Most people would agree, moreover, they would state that slavery disappeared by the end of the Civil War in USA. After four years of bloody battles, the result was that the North won the war and the South joined the Confederate States of America, nowadays United States of America. From then on, this new America started by creating a new beginning in the United State’s history. Now they call themselves the “land of freedom”. But the big questions is: Was it the end of slavery? or from that moment on, did they just re-name the term and adjust it to new ways of slavery in the 21th century?
If we take a look at the ways that enterprises structure their business, we may find some similarities of what it was the 19th century structure like in terms of hiring people, working conditions and age limits of the “employees”. Of course, to make this comparison, we must take out the fact that in 19th century the working force was kidnapped and abducted from Africa. But, if we take that point aside and we compare it to how the world of business is constructed today, we may still find that not many things have changed.
During the 19th century, every slave must work extremely long working shifts, no matter whether they were women, or men, or children. No difference was made among them, they were just workers, and above all this; they were not get paid, not even a penny. While, today we have that enterprises use outsourcing rather than kidnapping people. They have created these international companies that are in charge of finding women and youth (this youth could be any children above 11-years-old) from third world countries. They offer jobs based on small tasks, not too complex so, this new working force can effectively fulfill those tasks. But the question is: Is it fear that an 11-year-old child is working rather than being at school, learning?
Finally, If we accept this new working method: the outsourcing, aren’t we just accepting a modern way of slavery?
More information in this video: Human Traffic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tQDYvPrE6k
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ResponderEliminarI do go along with your idea Pia, Albeit, slavery has been legally abolished, we can still perceive and feel some traces of it not only in our jobs, but also in how we live and interact. Techonology has sprung up in our lives and had an impact of epic proportions in the whole world. Tech savvy people have developed plataforms and gadgets that are supposed to be the so-called golden ticket for interacting, doing our work and so on. Some people firmly believe that this advancement has put a positive sping in how we expirience life.
ResponderEliminarHowever, some others take a firm stance against the positive impact of techonology because according to them it is dumbing down the world, it is slavering us. If we carefully and attentively have a look at our lives, we could easily spot that we cannot go on a day without using our smartphones or computers. From the prespective of a univeristary student, I use techonolgy a LOT! I wouldnt be able to survive without using it. Social networks have given us useful tools that enable us to share crucial information, materials , handouts and so on and so forth but , alas, we are becoming slavers of all these plataforms. We are minimizing our abilities and skills to carry out our tasks and activities, This development is literally waning us. What's more, everyday more and more applications, gadgets and devices are cropping up in our lives and that fact does not help to avoid this 21th century kind of slavery.
Unfortunately, not only do we accept this fact that techonology is tamming us, but also whip up the use of it. I think that in the near future, this problem is going to be bigger than it is now since we are not willing to change it, we are being drawn to technology.
First of all, I agree with you, Pía. You made a really good point about the forms of enslavement and their changes through the years.
ResponderEliminarAdditionally, I strongly believe that the civil war between the South and the North of United States was a war between the two powerful classes: Burgeoisie and Aristocracy. The only ones who suffered more were the lower class people who fought their war only to decide which form of subjugation will control America: the Industrialized slavery or the Agricultural one.
Nowadays, slavery has a new form which is consumerism. Additionally, we can see how the proletarian masses are been exploited by multinational companies in third world countries. At the same time, we buy those products. Then, instantly, we become pat of that transaction: We can be considered as slave owner, but at the same time in salves of our own consumerism.
Although, many people feel bad about consumming multinational products becuase they have this feeling of regret. Fo example: "Oh! I'm consuming Starbucks coffee, while there are many children in Africa who are starving". So, the ultimate way of capitalism is when a multinational company creates a way to make you consume without any bad consciouss. Returning to the example of Starbucks: If you pay a little bit more for a better coffee, then part of the amount of that money will be spent in protecting the rainforests, or feeding children in Africa. In that way, you can consume without any guilty feeling.
Slavoj Zizek, slovenian psicoanalist and philosopher, shows us this ultimate form of capitalism in more deeply:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaDfNqpB4Wo